July
20 #2 - Echavarri: Pereiro won the jackpot, Attacking
is the only solution for Sastre, Schleck: We had to believe in Carlos,
Axel Merckx: When you're empty, you're empty, Marc Sergeant: Still surprises
to come, All for nothing for Leipheimer, "No explanation" for Hincapie,
Tour a survival test for Gerrans, Post-stage quotes

July
20 - Stage 16 wrap-up, An interview with the
maillot jaune, An interview with the winner, An interview with
Floyd Landis, Cyril Dessel gives his regrets to Phonak

July
19 #3 - Sunderland: Patience pays off for Schleck,
Gerolsteiner: In illness and in health, up l'Alpe, Armstrong talks doping

July
6 #2 - An interview with stage 4 winner, Wiggins
almost wiggles out a win, Third top ten finish for Eisel, Valverde wants
to come back for the Vuelta, T-Mobile car searched

July
6 - Stage 4 wrap-up, An interview with Floyd
Landis, Boogerd ready to Boogie-Woogie, Wilfried Cretskens diary: What
I do, Millar will get to Paris, Any rider supporting Portugal at the TdF?,
Just over 1 day left to join Fantasy Le Tour

June
28 #2 - Ullrich to sue newspaper and do DNA test?,
Astana Würth bound for Strasbourg, but no team presentation, Gerolsteiner's
double hopes - two captains, two goals, Jalabert going for July 14 win,
Davitamon-Lotto gets a cook for the Tour

Tour de France Cycling News Extra for July 5, 2006

Rogers ecstatic, but O'Grady suffers injury in pile-up

Michael Rogers (T-Mobile) put up the sprint of his life to grab second
in the stage behind breakaway team-mate Matthias Kessler when the Tour's
third stage swarmed into Valkenburg Tuesday. More importantly he has moved
into second overall only one second behind new leader Tom Boonen (Quick.Step).

Rogers was ecstatic after outsprinting some of the world's fastest men
in a surprise sprint win. "That was the best sprint I have ever put up,"
an elated Rogers said. "But although I am only one second behind I must
be realistic. I am not going to gain that time on Tom over the next few
days. It will be up to my team to make sure we keep it close so I can
give it my best in Saturday's time trial."

The fact that Rogers has won the past three world time trial championships
will give him plenty of confidence. If he can stay within striking distance
of Boonen till Saturday, Rogers is certainly a good chance to take his
first Tour de France yellow jersey, though several strong time trialists
are also within a few seconds of the lead, including Floyd Landis (Phonak,
7th at 16 seconds), Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto, 11th at 20 seconds)
and the CSC pairing of Dave Zabriskie (15th at 24 seconds) and Bobby Julich
(19th at 25 seconds).

O'Grady broken

However, it was a bittersweet day for the Tour's Australian contingent
as Stuart O'Grady (CSC) crashed in the hectic final 15 km and has fractured
a vertebra. His brave battle for the maillot jaune is over. O'Grady
was a big chance to take yellow in the stage and the finish in Valkenburg
would have suited him.

I saw him as he crossed the line and he said he was in trouble. He texted
me later to say that he had fractured a vertebra and he would make a final
decision about his participation in the race in the morning.

Evans relieved

Twenty seconds behind Boonen in eleventh place overall, Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto)
is still looking very much a contender. He managed to escape the carnage
in the last kilometres of stage three, but one of his major rivals, Spaniard
Alexandre Valverde wasn't and is out with a broken collarbone.

"Yeah, it was bit gnarly at the end. That was more like the Tour as I
know it in the last 50km. So I am happy to get through it without too
much trouble and fight another day tomorrow," a relieved Evans said.

McEwen disappointed

Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) was disappointed he couldn't quite hold
them up the final climb. "I just wasn't strong enough up the Cauberg,"
McEwen said. "But it was very hectic out there, big crowds, road too narrow.
I saw O'Grady go down. He nearly held it up, he was in the grass, he got
around most of the obstacles, I think he hit a ditch and went over the
handle bars.

"I looked back to see who went down and Stuey missed him and looked like
he got out of trouble and then there must have been a big culvert because
he just disappeared over the handle bars."

Tomorrow will be a big day for Quick.Step's Tom Boonen wearing the yellow
jersey through Belgium where he is the national hero. It won't be too
bad if McEwen beats him in St Quentin as then we are back in France.